Promises of Empowerment: Women in Asia and Latin America

by Rae Lesser Blumberg (Contribution by), Bu Wei (Contribution by), Voravidh Charoenloet (Contribution by), Hwa Soo Chung (Contribution by), Norma Iglesias (Contribution by)

Overview

How and to what degree are women worldwide gaining and using power? This book offers the first genuinely comparative assessment of this key question by exploring the conditions, actions, and accomplishments of women in Latin America and Asia. Encompassing 60 percent of the world's population and experiencing far-reaching transformations, these two regions offer a vital window into our understanding of the experiences of women globally. Revealing both basic similarities and fundamental differences, this volume offers thoughtful insights about the changing conditions of women, on the one hand, and, on the other, about patterns of social change throughout Asia and Latin America.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742529236
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	04/05/2004
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.81(d)

About the Author

Peter H. Smith is distinguished professor of political science and Sim-n Bol'var Professor of Latin American Studies at the University of California, San Diego. Jennifer L. Troutner is an independent scholar. Christine HYnefeldt is professor of history at the University of California, San Diego.

Table of Contents

Part 1 Foreword
Chapter 2 Introduction: Empowering Women: Agency, Structure, and Comparative Perspective
Part 3 Politics and the Public Arena
Chapter 4 Many Paths to Power: Women in Contemporary Asia
Chapter 5 Climbing the Pyramids of Power: Alternative Routes to Women's Empowerment and Activism
Chapter 6 From the Personal to the Political: Women Activists in Japan
Chapter 7 Feminism and the Transition to Democracy in Chile
Part 8 At Work and at Home
Chapter 9 Women and Economic Crisis: Mexico and Thailand
Chapter 10 Women, Poverty, and Survival of the Household: Peru
Chapter 11 Women in the Business World: Japan in Comparative Perspective
Chapter 12 Women and the Internet in China
Part 13 Constructions and Representations
Chapter 14 Social Codes and Gender Roles: Schoolbooks in Korea and Mexico
Chapter 15 Women and Cinema in Mexico
Chapter 16 Gender and Sexuality on Television: Japan and Brazil
Chapter 17 Conclusion: States, Markets, and Patterns of Empowerment

Editorial Reviews

This intriguing book advances a new understanding of the complex casual dynamics behind women's empowerment and lays the groundwork for future research on the unique constraints and opportunities presented by each path.

Latin American Politics and Society

From the foreword: A stimulating set of essays.. .. Promises of Empowerment speaks to some of the most persistent questions in feminist theory and comparative politics, and shows that power, despite cultural differences and definitional debates,remains the key issue for women....

Jane S. Jaquette

A much-needed and long-awaited cross-regional collection with Latin America and Asia as the focus and gender power relations at the core.

Kathleen Staudt

A much-needed and long-awaited cross-regional collection with Latin America and Asia as the focus and gender power relations at the core.--Kathleen Staudt, University of Texas at El Paso

This intriguing book advances a new understanding of the complex casual dynamics behind women's empowerment and lays the groundwork for future research on the unique constraints and opportunities presented by each path.--Latin American Politics and Society

From the foreword: A stimulating set of essays. . . . Promises of Empowerment speaks to some of the most persistent questions in feminist theory and comparative politics, and shows that power, despite cultural differences and definitional debates, remains the key issue for women.--Jane S. Jaquette, Occidental College

From the Publisher